A Method, System and Device for Accessing Data Storage in a Telecommunications Network

1. A method of accessing, in a telecommunication network, a Network Based Personal Data Storage (NB-PDS) associated with a User Equipment (UE), the telecommunication network comprising at least a control server and a Personal Data Storage Server (PDSS) enabling access to the NB-PDS, the method comprising: transmitting, by the UE and to the control server, an indication of supporting NB-PDS functionality; retrieving, by the control server and in response to receiving the indication, an Access Point Name (APN) of an access point server for accessing the PDSS through a data bearer connection in the telecommunication network, the retrieving comprising: requesting, at a subscription server associated with the UE, whether the NB-PDS is associated with the UE; receiving, from the subscription server and in response to the request, information that the NB-PDS is associated with the UE; establishing, under control of the control server, the data bearer connection between the UE and the access point server; establishing, under control of the access point server, a data connection between the UE and the PDSS over the data bearer connection providing data access by the UE to the associated NB-PDS; and presenting, by the UE, a file directory of the associated NB-PDS in a file directory structure of the UE.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the telecommunication network comprises any of an Evolved Packets System (EPS) network, a Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) network, and a General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) network.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the control server comprises any of a Mobility Management Entity (MME), and a Supporting General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) Support Node (SGSN).

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the access point server comprises any of a Public Data Network (PDN) Gateway (PDN-Gw), and a Gateway General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) Support Node (SGSN).

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the PDSS comprises any of a Home Subscriber Server (HSS), a HSS Front-End (HSS-FE), and a Centralized User Data Base (CUDB).

6. A method of facilitating access to a Network Based Personal Data Storage (NB-PDS) associated with a User Equipment (UE), implemented by a control server in a telecommunication network comprising a Personal Data Storage Server (PDSS) enabling access to the NB-PDS, the method comprising: receiving, from the UE, an indication of supporting NB-PDS functionality by the UE; retrieving, in response to the indication, an Access Point Name (APN) of an access point server, for accessing the PDSS over a data bearer connection in the telecommunication network, the retrieving comprising: requesting, at a subscription server associated with the UE, whether the NB-PDS is associated with the UE; receiving, from the subscription server and in response to the request, information that the NB-PDS is associated with the UE; establishing, under control of the control server, the data bearer connection between the UE and the access point server.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein receiving the indication comprises receiving an Attach request message comprising the indication of supporting NB-PDS functionality by the UE.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising transmitting an Attach accept message comprising the APN of the access point server for establishing the data bearer connection.

9. The method of claim 6 , wherein receiving the information from the subscription server comprises receiving, from the subscription server, the APN of the access point server for accessing the PDSS in the telecommunication network.

10. The method of claim 6 , wherein receiving the indication comprises receiving, from the UE, a request message for initiating establishment of the data bearer for accessing the PDSS.

11. The method of claim 6 , wherein retrieving the APN further comprises configuring the APN for the establishing of the data bearer connection.

12. A control server configured to facilitate access, in a telecommunication network, to a Network Based Personal Data Storage (NB-PDS) associated with a User Equipment (UE), the telecommunication network at least comprising a control server and a Personal Data Storage Server (PDSS) controlling the NB-PDS, the control server comprising: processing circuitry; memory containing instructions executable by the processing circuitry whereby the control server is operable to: receive an indication of supporting NB-PDS functionality; retrieve, in response to the indication, an Access Point Name (APN) of an access point server for accessing the PDSS through a data bearer connection in the telecommunication network, and whereby to retrieve the APN the control server is operable to: request, at a subscription server associated with the UE, whether the NB-PDS is associated with the UE; receive, from the subscription server and in response to the request, information that the NB-PDS is associated with the UE; control establishment of the data bearer connection between the UE and the PDSS providing data access to the associated NB-PDS and for control establishment of a data connection between the UE and the PDSS over the data bearer connection providing data access by the UE to the associated NB-PDS.

13. The control server of claim 12 , wherein to receive the indication, the control server is further operable to receive an Attach request message comprising the indication of supporting NB-PDS functionality by the UE.

14. The control server of claim 12 , wherein to receive the information from the subscription server, the control server is operable to receive, from the subscription server, the APN of the access point server for accessing the PDSS in the telecommunication network.

15. The control server of claim 12 , wherein to receive the indication the control server is further operable to receive, from the UE, a request message for initiating establishment of the data bearer for accessing the PDSS.

16. The control server of claim 12 , wherein to retrieve the APN, the control server is further operable to configure the APN for the establishing of the data bearer connection.

17. A telecommunication network configured to facilitate access, in the telecommunication network, to a Network Based Personal Data Storage (NB-PDS) associated with a User Equipment (UE), the telecommunication network at least comprising: a control server; a Personal Data Storage Server (PDSS) enabling access to the NB-PDS; the UE, wherein the UE comprises: first processing circuitry; memory containing first instructions executable by the first processing circuitry whereby the UE is operable to transmit, to the control server, an indication of supporting NB-PDS functionality; wherein the control server comprises: second processing circuitry; memory containing second instructions executable by the second processing circuitry whereby the control is operable to: retrieve, in response to receiving the indication, an Access Point Name (APN) of an access point server for accessing the PDSS through a data bearer connection in the telecommunication network, and whereby to retrieve the APN the control server is operable to: request, at a subscription server associated with the UE, whether the NB-PDS is associated with the UE; receive, from the subscription server and in response to the request, information that the NB-PDS is associated with the UE; establish the data bearer connection between the UE and the access point server; and establish a data connection between the UE and the PDSS over the data bearer connection providing data access by the UE to the associated NB-PDS; wherein the first instructions are such that the UE is further operable to present a file directory of the associated NB-PDS in a file directory structure of the UE.

18. The control server of claim 13 , wherein the control server is further operable to transmit an Attach accept message comprising the APN of the access point server for establishing the data bearer connection.